September 16, 2010

Spying Baylor QB Robert Griffin?

The Texas 10: Week 3, Vol. 2

6. The Baptists take on the Disciples of Christ

That’s a stretch, but Baylor at TCU returns us to the days of the old Southwest Conference. And not the Southwest Conference when both of these teams stunk and drew high school volleyball crowds. Amon G. Carter Stadium is soldout for this game. It’s like Haley’s Comet showing up twice in less than one year.

TCU is a national power, and Baylor is slowly improving under Art Briles. That said, Baylor has no business playing this game. The Bears are going to get whacked by a non-AQ school located 90 miles to the north of Waco that it recruits against.

6.6 Watch who spies Robert Griffin?

TCU coach Gary Patterson isn’t likely to admit it, but see if he puts a spy linebacker to chase Robert Griffin when the Baylor QB leaves the pocket. He is the most dangerous player TCU has faced in … well, a long time. Someone on the TCU d-line has to make him feel uncomfortable. TCU may be better off allowing him to step up and make throws as opposed to breaking containment off the tackles and run wherever he wants. He’s as dangerous as any player in this region in the open field.

6.7 TCU needs Andy Dalton to Play Better

If the Frogs are going to make a legit run at perfection and a run to the national title he needs to be the team’s best offensive player.

7. Looking for Warm Bodies in Denton

The Mean Green is off to an 0-2 start, and just about everybody is hurt. Four starters on offense won’t play Saturday at Army. SR QB Nathan Tune suffered a season-ending hip injury in a Week 2 loss against Rice. His replacement is SO Derek Thompson. Two starting CBs are out, too. All seven of the long-term injuries are to juniors and seniors who have combined to earn 14 varsity letters. Of the seven players replacing them in the depth chart, six are first year players and the other is quarterback Derek Thompson who took all of four snaps as a true freshman last season.

7.7 How does this happen?

UNT has outgained nine of its last 14 opponents, and it's 2-12 in those games.

8. Vittatoe Time

UTEP is 1-1 going into a can’t-lose game against New MexicoState. The team’s best defender, DB Braxton Amy, is out for the year with an injury. Star RB Donald Buckram is out with a knee injury he sustained a couple of days before the start of the season.

It’s time for SR QB Trevor Vittatoe to start winning games. He will become the Miner’s all-time leading passer at some point this season replacing Jordan Palmer; it would help if he starts winning like Palmer.

9. Reality Coming To Beaumont

The first-year Lamar Cardinals football team won their first home game on Saturday against some school called WebberInternationalUniversity. Life is about to get very real for the Cardinals, who travel to play Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday. SELA is a member of the Southland Conference, which Lamar will join as a football team 2011. And then the Cardinals travel to play at Stephen F. Austin, ranked No. 10 in I-AA, for the next game.

10. Speaking of ‘Jacks

Most people don’t care about I-AA, but these people deserve love. No. 10 SFA travels to “scenic” Cedar Falls, Iowa to play the No. 13 Northern Iowa Panthers. UNI is 5-2 all-time against SFA, including 3-1 at the UniDome. It would be nice if the Jacks Gralyn Crawford can somehow have the same type of game this week as he did last when he scored touchdowns both a kickoff and punt return.